The present invention relates to the connection of a liquid cooled cable for heavy currents to a socket. Such a cable is to be used, for example, for feeding electric current to an arc furnace. More particularly the invention relates to improvements in the connection of a socket to a cable which includes an inner tube as conduit for the cooling liquid, stranded conductors on that inner tube, and an enveloping outer tube or hose. The socket serves as current lead in as well as fluid connector for the cable.
Electric arc furnaces are used, for example, for smelting steel scrap, sponge iron, reduced pig iron, or the like. The furnace is powered from a transformer, and cables connect the latter to the former. These cables conduct very heavy current and must be cooled accordingly. It should be noted that heat is not only developed by the current itself, but the inherent vicinity of the furnace establishes additionally rather hot ambient conditions. Additionally, the cable may for one reason or another experience sudden tension load, but the connection must not be broken. Also, the cable should withstand (thermal) peak loads resulting, for example, from interruption in the flow of the coolant.
Another aspect to be considered is the following. The cable interconnecting a transformer with a furnace usually leads to the top part of the furnace. The space around this equipment is often very limited. Thus, as the furnace cover is lifted for any reason, e.g. for charging of the furnace, the cable may experience rather violent twisting. The same may happen for any two objects, which are interconnected by cable and which change mutual orientation for any reason. It was found that liquid cooled cable will readily be damaged by such action.